On September 24th, students, faculty, staff and alumni at University of California (UC) schools participated in a day of coordinated walkouts and rallies in defense of the future of public education. Hundreds rallied at the base of the UC Santa Cruz campus to protest the privatization of the UC system, which includes student fee hikes, faculty and staff furloughs and layoffs, executive pay increases, and cuts to courses, programs and services. The University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) held a daylong strike at all UC schools, with pickets at the main and west entrances of UCSC from 6am–6pm.

Rallies took place at the base of UCSC, amplified courtesy of People Power!'s human-powered bicycle generator, at 12pm and 3:30pm. After the 3:30pm rally, students marched and occupied the intersection by the Bay Tree Plaza. From there, it was announced that a building occupation was underway, and people moved to the Bay Tree Plaza to support an ongoing inhabitation of the Graduate Student Commons. The following photos and notes are from the 12pm rally.

Those at the top don't care about workers and students because they are not a priority. It is time for the Regents to be held accountable. The UC needs to open their financial books. They think that we're stupid.

The UC is very actively engaged in union busting. There has been retaliation against all members of the UPTE bargaining team

Mike Rotkin received a pink slip, but it was reversed and he says that he is not going anywhere. He has noticed that there is a meme going around campus were many faculty and staff are telling students and others that they should "Go to Sacramento and complain.."